Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed

On the top floor of a special hospital, locked away from their families and friends, a group of men and women are subjected to a regime of physical assaults, systematic brutality, and torture by the very people supposed to be caring for them.

The victims are some of the most vulnerable in society - the learning disabled, the autistic, and the suicidal. In a Panorama Special, Paul Kenyon exposes the truth about a gang of carers out of control, and how the care system ignored all the warning signs.

Joe Casey spent five weeks filming undercover in a private care hospital on the outskirts of Bristol after getting a job as a support worker. He was shocked by what he witnessed.

Police in Bristol have arrested four people after secret filming by BBC Panorama found a pattern of serious abuse at a residential hospital.

Was a heartbreaking documentary, I had no idea that they had lock-down facilities care centres still in Europe. I work in assisted living for the elderly here in Canada, and we do have many situations where there can be abuse of power. That is why there is such strict guide lines, as well as training for proper licences a care worker needs to have, before they can even get a job. But even with all this, there are still situations that happen. The most heartbreaking part of this documentary is when Simone called out for her mom, but there was no one to help.

I'm of two minds here. Yes, that Allie was a total creep poking that one woman in the eye and tormenting Simon . That was disgusting. But if someone throws something at you, taking away her pillowcase is fair. And when the thrower came at them, they had a right to restrain her. The WAY they restrained her was wrong; but at the same time, she was spitting at them. They were total jerks but I can understand them not wanting things thrown at them or being spit at. So yeah, they shouldn't be care givers but in regards to the violent thrower, I can understand them getting fed up. But that Allie needs to be in jail.

Has anybody noticed the Rhys Ifans film named "Care" seems to have been deleted from history and is not even mentioned in the list of films he has been in which is on IMDB!?
It is no coincidence that the film portrays the story of a boy called Davey who was sexually abused by Social Workers, Police, Judges and so on whilst in a "care" home during the 1980's and is all about the child abuse that went on up and down the country (Britain) for many decades. The whole sordid affair was covered up by the Government to the best of its ability and now this film is being blanked from history and hidden from the public!!!!

As a child with a diagnosis of Autistic spectrum disorder and ADHD I went to special schools and establishments. Let me tell you, abuse does happen. I came across a lot of mistreatment. One teacher pulled my hair and injured my back. We were often 'held for safety' for no real reason and injured in the process. I saw students slapped, thrown across the room and verbally abused. I had one teacher who took a particular dislike to me and she called me a slapper when I was 12-13 years old. At 19 years old going to to the Ruskin Educational trust (I would love to expose a lot about that place), I was forced to have a tsafe IUD fitted. Doctors will not generally fit this in a woman unless she has had children. I suffered complications and I had to go myself to a Brooke clinic in the summer break to get it removed. Luckily there were no long term effects. Some of the staff were horrible people. Malicious things were written about me in my personal files, and were somehow shared with men who I began dating by members of staff. Not to mention other things, which I won't go into. I was happy to get my diagnosis revoked when I was 21 and I now live a normal life without any support. Sadly some people are truly disabled, and do not have the capacity to realise that certain types of treatment are wrong and even if they do, they are often ignored and not taken seriously. I have also been in supported housing for adults with learning difficulties and the housing they give you is often unsatisfactory. The ones I was with were basically sham landlords. Because I'm not that reliant on my parents and I was pretty much on my own, they felt that they didn't have to carry out repairs, or even give me a sofa to sit on for the first 6 months of me living there, when furniture was part of the contract. When they did get me a sofa, it was a second hand one which appeared to be fine at first, but when I lifted the cover to wash it it was covered in dried blood and food stains. There was also a mouldy boiler with a leaky pipe, and the whole flat smelt damp. There were leaky taps, the kitchen cupboard was screwed on at a funny angle and it eventually collapsed. When I reported problems, nothing was done. They would also be extremely slow to do anything. My nextdoor neighbour had parents that were always on the case, and the supported living were scared of looking bad, so they provided everything for him. People with a diagnosis of disabilities do not get as much help as people like to think they do.

This isn't surprising. As a child with a diagnosis of Autistic spectrum disorder who went to special schools and establishments, I came across a lot of mistreatment. No one listens to you, because you are just the 'r*tarded kid'. Let me tell you people, it DOES happen. You get some real bullies in that field of work.

Is the privatization of public health facilities, and giving to companies like Castlebeck who only cares about profit, hiring unqualified staffers that are not trained to deal with these patients. trying to win contracts from conservative governments, that doesnt believe in nursing treatment at home, instead they rather want these facilities that are run by the private sector.

My son has autism...I wish I could live forever to prevent this nightmare from ever happening to him...a mother who leaves a child vulnerable dies a sorrowful death because all they live for in this world is to take care of their babies. Leaving before the job is done is not supposed to happen...but the world is a sick place, people are broken things, born broken, and it's not my fault my son has autism...the ache of utterly failing your child or worse losing your child...the place where you grieve is such a yawning black hole in your insides that a parent may not survive it... this video reminded me of what is possibly in store for my baby and I just want to bawl like an infant right now!

This is very disturbing...I dont know what to say,it feels like this is rock bottom,I mean,I just cant believe,I know this is happening in entire world. ..sad,very,very sad...with this kind of behavior we are going down...Society will go to hell..

Sick, so sick ... I was crying the whole time. Why are people so mean and abusive? And still .. somehow I knew, I felt these people had been protected the whole time by angels of our GREAT GOD, the Lord Almighty. They are also His beloved children and He will always protect them, for Him ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! Peace to you all!

I've worked in health care for about 5 yrs, i cant imagine being the undercover guy and having to lay low, I couldnt sit and watch this happen to a human being, mister tattoos parlor fag have a jolly time in prison, karma is a bitch. Thankyou bbc for this incredible documentary huge eye opener

What a load of BS.All of these people that were informed chose not to do anything and ignore there is only one meaning for abuse it was written and told and informed. judging from this documentary HOW CAN THAT BE A MISS JUDGEMENT,IF it was up to me I would charge the whole lot of them put them in Jail and throw away the key.

For the hero with the tatoos,he musy have felt like a real showman during his stent as a hospital staffer telling all of his friends how hard it is to calm all the situations down and the force he has to use for fear of getting hurt,his leutenant was obviously enjoying all the bullying and when he ran out of victims his day would be boring.I just cant help myself wanting to give my two cents worth of rage at these monsters and as for the administrators who had the job of being nurses to make sure all is well on his or her shift,and smiling for the camera as the girl is on the floor shaking uncontrolably,his attemps to show some compassion wiping the face to show how caring he can be while watching Simone being tortured to the point of complete paralysis out of fear.This film makes me sick and the excuses that these so called facilitators make to quell the notion that this should not have happened and suspending 13 of them.Is that with pay?I would really like to know if amy of these scums,or so-called members of a caring organization were ever charged with to name a few charges.Assault,Incompetence,torture,failure to provide compassionate care on a scale such as this is not new.There are senior citicens who are treated in the most vile manner and come the day when someone blows the whistle on these pathetic tough people is the day that i will never see.WHY? I really would like to know what kind of justice was done and if the guy with all the tatoos was ever imprisoned. I can bet every dollar I have that the two men who were in the film 90% of the time would face a certain bad future amongst prison inmates.As for DUMBO with the big ears who never even apologised to the families during this film,should never be entrusted with this type of work.The outrageous acts from these thugs tells me that they have no life except amongst themselves getting together once a week to discuss and make plans for the week ahead and try to justify there actions as respected caregivers makes me sick.I really hope that they lost there jobs and are forced to scrub urinals and toilets in there neighborhood Burger King restaurant,That is the only job they should get or forever walk in shame as cowards.That is exactly what they are,the suffering they placed on some if not all the patients in that care facility is permanent,they are more than likely much more sicker and are haunted from the memories of daily torture.What a revolting bunch of Morons.That is putting it litely

I have worked in this industry, doing care in home rather than in institutions. From my experience, carers are underpaid, undertrained, and overworked. I'm not excusing the behavior in this expose - I think it's horrifying. But those factors definitely lead to this kind of thing. I knew of people (all were fired) who did things like leave the patient alone, bring people to the patient's home, in one case to buy drugs, and spend the patient's money. At least once a month I'd find out about someone at my agency getting fired for abuse, neglect, or other gross violations of patient rights. None were ever prosecuted.

That's in home, often with parents or siblings checking up on the patient every week, or even living in the same home. That's why the violators were caught. One of my patients had a stepmother who wanted her institutionalized, and I still worry and even cry about the idea she might win over the girl's father and get her sent away to a place like this.

As long as there is no oversight, no accountability, no proper training, no proper pay to keep good workers in the field, this kind of abuse is going to continue to be rampant. It makes me sick. I had to leave my patients behind because I couldn't live anymore on minimum wage (with absolutely no hope of advancement or improved compensation in the future), and I have cried myself to sleep many times hoping and hoping that they will get good, loving, responsible people assigned to care for them, and will never be forced into this kind of institution.

i agree with sundari... you cant just look people away and pretend they dont exist... this video really hits home because i have a metally ill brother and if this ever happened to him i would b pushed to the edge.... how can people be such monsters!!!!!!!!

i think that institutionalized anything is s***! it gives the rest of us an excuse to turn a blind eye, where plainly if that was happening on the street we could not! im talking of the environment animals and as this documentary has illustrated , ourselves as well.. institutionalization is bulls***!

you guys should look into anti-social personality disorder (sociopathy, lack of empathy) and tell me these "caretakers" dont fit the profile to a t. approximately 4% of the human population are made up of sociopaths who reak havoc on society, and look for jobs where their domineering and controlling behavior can be permissible. i think this documentary raises serious questions about how to identify these sick people and not give them the benefit of the doubt like that regulatory body.

FACT: Institutional Care has always placed the interests of Institutional Society ABOVE the interests of those in 'care'.

The History of Education, the History of Catholic Institutional Care, the History of Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis, the History of Prison, The History of Big Pharma demonstrates this time and time again.,

This is disgusting. Being apart of home health care myself, if I ever saw anything even remotely close to this....curb stomp inc. Something is seriously wrong with you if you go into health care to abuse those that need to be protected the most.

How the f--k can someone sit there and film this for 5 days secretly without making a stand? If i saw a "therepy worker" abusing a patient that NEEDS to be treated... i wouldn't care if i got sentanced to jail, i would get up and punch that worker square in the face. All of them in fact.

This was very painful to watch, I cant believe that people who are paid to care for patients could treat them like that . I really hope that those so call care givers be severely punished for what they have done. Pam.

The English are close historical relatives with the Germans. This tragic abuse has been going on for a milleniums or more in "civilized" Europe. The next generation will just continue with a different kind of torture. Europe, the smallest continent has by far tortured and spilled more blood than all the continents put together. I'd end this by "makes one wonder", but history is already so tragically way beyond that . SHOMER PITOYIM HASHEM

What?!? Treat them and then get them back into the community? They'd loose all that tax-payer funding money then, wouldn't they? This system works only by keeping them in a long as possible even if they should be released.

I agree. Its not "normal" to want to torture people, is it? People have done so many truly evil things to others throughout history. I was thinking that this was "disturbing" but then I pondered what must happen to like rape and murder victims of like a serial killer, and I couldn't take the thought process any further. Do you think people are "born" this way (as kids are pretty cruel) or do they develope this kind of psychosis by personal actions and choices?

Nicki Ikcin
- 08/06/2011 at 11:14

What the heck? Are they not gonna be charged for abuse? or anything at all?

Good to see there were some arrests made. What a crap job done by the CQC, how can Jo Williams possibly justify not standing down? The decision to prolong the abuse of these patients should be a dealbreaker, and these 'authority figures' should be made to take responsibility for their role in the abuse.

Gerald Fleming
- 08/05/2011 at 09:13

The individuals doling out this torture should be prosecuted and do time in prison for these crimes, the regulator should be prosecuted especially, hes collecting his paycheck for doing nothing, what a bastard he is, the parents of these people should have been at the doors of that facility and screaming at the top of their lungs to right this injustice, but they are to damn stupid to know cruelty when they see it. If i had a family member there under those conditions I'd be prosecuted for murder becauses id be killing everyone of those a--holes, this is beyond comprehensiion, wtf is wrong with you people.......... help those people, grow a set of nuts and rescue these defenseless child like tards from those f...cking bastards...you should be outraged............

I thought humanity only lives in the west (for west). But now I know evil is evil and it resides every where. Guys, I could not watch it after 17:14. These learning disabled people are like small kids, beautiful flowers even more than that because normal kids have growing normal brain but these innocent people dont have that. We are so evil, soo evil. One can expect the most cruel and unimaginable act from this HUMAN CREATURE. I am biting my teeth while writing thisssss. We humans are not that different than animals. ahhhh sorry, many animals may be even better than these SUPPORT WORKERS. This documentary also gives us an idea what would be happening to those in jails, especially jails like gwanta namo bay, where the only Gods are the army.

and u think its just one case? same things are SURE not happening in prisons, soldiers treat civilians "humanly", doctors dont push you poisons, priests love children platonicaly, and so on and on and on... the people with the CRIMINAL POWER! diseased teample on its glory!

I think that's brilliant, Sher Afgan! We use videotape to guard the most trivial merchandise; so how much more should we guard against innocent and defenseless patients who can't defend themselves? Don't we value human life over mere groceries? I don't see why, with cameras ubiquitous in the workplace anyhow, and practically everywhere that there's property, that it wouldn't also work to prevent care workers from abusing residents such as these? I suppose they're just too damned cheap!

Its a pity that the care givers got suspended from duty only. No other legal action was taken against them? Great!
CCTV cameras should be placed in all such places. In every room. The footage from cameras should be montiored elsewhere in real time, and also recorded. Doesnt cost a lot to do this. Although this will not erradicate the problem completly, it will hopefuly make the care givers think twice before taking such steps. But then again, maybe its illegal to put CCTV cameras in such places that are prone to abuse?

They could probably claim that this was a violation of privacy, as it would be if the discs or tapes got out to the wrong persons. But there are medical privacy exceptions written every day, all day long. If this data went to a locked office until there was a claim of an incident of abuse, and then it was uploaded to an investigator it seems perfectly legitimate to me.

Absolutely appalling!! So happy Simon got to go home and hopefully, Simone and all the others don't find themselves in a similar situation. After reading the comments:
Tattoo stereotypes are not an issue anymore except for a minority of people.
I think not addressing the fact the wrong type of role model in Sr. staff (intimidating in personality) can and does have an immense impact on all those around is grave. And I wonder if any of the staff knew of the whistle blower's efforts coming upon deaf ears. It is not to say that a solid character couldn't/shouldn't have stepped up, but maybe they did?
Cameras should be installed in all areas of any hospital facility that is in the care of any human being that doesn't have the capacity to either speak for themselves or be believed--Mandatory.

Did you not see the first whisleblower get no response, video evidence was the only way to stop the abuse...........

Maddox 1414
- 08/04/2011 at 07:22

I agree Joanne, how did you expect it would end if he stood up. He'd be outed and gone. No movie to watch, no information to be had. How can you say he "loved the abuse", your guessing at best. If you want to stop the evil, you apply for a job, and do it yourself, see how long you last..

Jonathon Wisnoski
- 08/02/2011 at 18:50

Reminds me a lot of when animal rights activists went undercover and found blatant animal cruelty at farms in the US, the fallout from that is became illegal to do go undercover to acquire evidence against someone.

only thing is that, these people are humans not animals who already go by the rule, survival of the fittest!, if an animal gets caught and killed its there fault, farming is a sure way too eat! i dont neccasarily agree if you are long lining the ocean or raping whales!!, ever seen a retarded chicken on your plate?? i wouldnt eat it!.
we are the only animals that care for there sick and old, which i know this sound bad but, what happens when the world is extrememly over populated and struggling for food? we wont be able to take care of the sick or the old anymore, so these homes are just taking these people out of our view and using valuable resources, and allows sick and twisted pups too do what ever they want for fun, at least if they were given a painless death we would know what happened to them and why.

Cassio Mosqueira
- 08/03/2011 at 04:04

is this post serious? i have never read so much bullsh*t in one single post.

JessieMB
- 08/03/2011 at 09:25

This is hands down the most disgusting thing I have ever read. You and your comments are equally as disturbing as the documentary that we just watched. If you were given either a painless or painful death, we would all definitely know why.

fonbindelhofas
- 08/04/2011 at 12:08

put down a crack pipe and stop reading nazi doctrines!

Guest
- 08/05/2011 at 17:20

Obviously idealpointer is a bully too and had a terrible childhood. A normal person with common sense can see clearly that this is a HORRIFIC situation and feel the pain of others. Thank you for posting to show everyone else that it is important for everyone to stand up and stop abuse when we see it because there are too many Waynes and Micheals out there. Unfortunately, here is nothing we can say or do to make people liek idealpointer change their minds as an adult. Remember we need to reach out and help all kids who might grow up to be strong but compassionate.

Otherwise the most unthinkable like abuse, genocide, hate, racism, rape, murder,...etc. continues even though we progress as a society with technology and education.

apollodoom
- 08/03/2011 at 05:36

Yeah that is some of my favorite state-by-state legislation this year. Florida + Iowa pushing bills where the punishment for documenting animal abuse undercover is worse than the punishment for the abuse itself. America FTW.

Wayne Beckett
- 08/02/2011 at 17:37

does any one know about the political fallout from this?...have any heads rolled?

The care home in question was closed, and prosecutions of staff members are ongoing. There have also been concerns raised about other care homes owned by the same company, so these are also being investigated.

vulturewoman
- 08/02/2011 at 16:54

ease my innocent mind with this question: Why did they film for 5 weeks, when there was plenty of footage from the first week as the expert panel said that was enough for intervention? I don't get why we needed to film more and more and more. It wasn't enough to make a show with 23 assaults/ restraints recorded? We had to stay in there until something really sensational happened? It should've been brought to the police asap, and prevented the extra 4 weeks from happening. if there something I'm missing here, let me know...

I don't know........I asked myself the same question. I spent some time googling, and checking news reports on line, to see if that had been addressed, and I turned up nothing.

dave.eggermont
- 08/02/2011 at 19:36

Well, there are extreme cases where this kind of restraint is necessary. To prove that these were not extremely rare cases but things that happened on a regular base they needed more proof.

M A
- 08/03/2011 at 01:44

The more evidence you gather, the more convincing the case. :/ I believe keeping a cool head about the situation is best. As it is, they did a 5 week investigation and proved that abuse was very regular. They have grounds to prosecute these people. I'm grateful.

We need those meds to make the BIGPHARMA them pounds and dollars you know..

otherwise why would you be paying taxes?

StillRV
- 08/03/2011 at 00:09

The straight jacket led to asphyxiations as well as dislocated shoulders and other injuries. Thus it was banned for use. Sheeting also with the asphyxiations. Bed strapping is still permissible in most states provided that they are approved restraint devices. Also any patient under restraint bust be monitored for the duration of the restraint period (maximum 4 hours) the monitoring must involve a staff member within 5 feet of restrained patient at all times and a nurse checking the restraints every hour to ensure they are not restricting blood flow etc. Your assertion here is that the hospitals get larger profits from the pharmaceutical companies. I am not entering into that debate it is always loaded and the topic has been flooded with almost as much BS as area 51 and the Rothchilds. Psychiatric care facilities make quite allot of money from federal and state funding as well as independent insurance. If I remember correctly the cost was in the area of $800.00 - $1000.00 per patient.

idealpointer
- 08/03/2011 at 02:47

and in america they still have hanging and the electric chair, ive always wanted to go to the states to see if i get shot will i really bleed to death in the hospital waiting room without health insurance, grr damn you and your free health care barrack lmao!, oh and this was paid for by the pharmaceutical companies chief!

StillRV
- 08/03/2011 at 23:49

Idealpointer; That's allot of ignorant rhetoric your spouting there. If you go to an ER in the US for any reason let alone being shot you will be treated regardless of whether you have insurance or not. Most people who get shot in this country are criminals, drug dealers etc., The average cripp does not carry health insurance. When they get shot they get picked up by an ambulance staffed by medical professionals, are brought to the closes approved trauma facility, all other patients in the emergency are put on hold until the victim is deemed stable, They receive x-rays, Cat scans, Respiratory care, and surgery to repair the wound within 1 hour of arrival. Not once during all of that are they even asked about their insurance. The cost of all of that is probably in the neighborhood of 20-30,000 dollars. All paid for by the tax dollars of hard working US citizens. Your welcome. jackaz

Guest
- 08/02/2011 at 14:05

@StillRV

I would be relieved to know if what you say is as well where you are. But I assure you I know exactly what I am saying.

I have long known the sufferings and goings on here and I could not believe my eyes to have read files and cases that were supposedly being investigated but was never made openly public.

When I said deaths after being in padded cells I meant it !

As far as you quoting rules and guidelines they have rules and guidelines and regulations here too it does not mean that they are followed.

I do not need to correct anything I said.

And I will not believe they are not being given harmful even deadly medications.

The dead bodies and case files speak for themselves.

In conclusion your example as stated:
"But consider for a moment that someone who was brought to the facility for assaulting three firemen and a police officer who went to the patients home to put out the camp fire they had built in their living room because they believed that they were camping, may not be in a state to determine what is best for themselves."

Here you are using the extreme case and of coarse greater measures are applicable.But these situations are not the average patient now are they?
Of coarse not.

Connie; Then again I advise you to gather all of the information that you have and present it to an attorney. If the state and federal regs are being consistently violated and there is proof of such the facility can and will be closed if proper law is applied. I never said you should correct your own statements. You stated that the info was given to you by a third party and I simply stated that they "could" be misinformed. Take it to the media even the local media, take it to a federal attorney. If the case files and the bodies are there they will seek justice without a doubt. As to your assertion to know more than I in regards the meds administered at the facility in which I worked; You are over reaching. That in itself makes your whole statement a bit suspect. It shows that you have an ax to grind and perhaps would be willing to stretch the facts to suit your point. Not saying it is definite but it does raise suspicion. Good luck to you in your pursuit of justice for those harmed by the institution you refer to.

Guest
- 08/02/2011 at 03:54

This is only a care facility, You should tsee what happens in Mental hospitals.
Patients are murdred. They are locked in padded solitary confinement and are stripped of all clothing beaten and raped constantly and have no voice.

The Megans law passed here in the US was one of the worse laws ever placed on the disabled. Megans Law allows Mental Hospitals to force drug the patient. These mental drugs are killing people everyday, They are not safe or properly reguilated. any drug under two years old does not need to be FDA approved. Therefore Pharmasudicals ? spelling ? change the name on the drugs before the two years are up.
They use known poison such as aspertame in the drugs and such that kill the Liver and kidneys. Almost every mental drug affects the Liver. Or the nervous system. leaving patients with irreversible retartative Diskenesia .. The patient loses muscle control in the mouth and other nervous system parts and worse..

Imagine the over abuse of the drugs they use to control peoples minds.It is a living hell and they are better off dead for some.

No one should ever be forced to take medications that alter behavior lknowing they are not safe drugs. A mild case or temporary case of mental condition could be turened into a lifetime of hell or dead or physically irreversibly damaged organs.

My girlfriend works in a facility just like this.. and she said they are dropping dead like flies after some new medications are given.... Now how is that legal? How come no one hears about it?

They do not even have any rights to ask for legal counsel once they are committed or diagnosed for mental disabilities.

There is never enough public awareness . Its still legal for electric shock therapy. I wonder if they are still putting thje electrodes on genitals too as they have done ion the past. They have even done lumbodomys spelling? ( brain surgery where they drill into the brain thinking if they releive the pressure it might help.

Mankind has never treated the mentally disadvantage any good and God help all those people that are part of the global agenda who promote participants in eating any of the candy poison they are promoting as normal for everyone to take depression pills.
the world is still treating mentally disabled with barbaric practices and many are getting rich from it .

Connie; Not sure where you live but The facility in which I worked was a psychiatric hospital. In 8 years I never had one single inpatient die, as opposed to many of those same patients who died on the streets because they were released and returned to drugs and alcohol to alleviate their condition. It is true that there were quiet rooms (not padded) that were solitary rooms. However any patient in a quiet room had to be monitored the entire time one on one through the window in the door. Also the quiet room could only be used for a maximum of 4 hours by law any time over that could get a facility closed. As to the duration of a patients stay, each patient could be held for 72 hours of observation before a hearing before a judge took place where a legal rep for the patient and for the psychiatric staff would present their case to determine if extending the mandated time was necessary. The maximum extension was 14 days followed by another review etc. Medications were given at times against the patients will. But consider for a moment that someone who was brought to the facility for assaulting three firemen and a police officer who went to the patients home to put out the camp fire they had built in their living room because they believed that they were camping, may not be in a state to determine what is best for themselves. In all of my time there I never saw any new drug administered and the ones I saw retained the same name the entire time. Thorazine, Adavan, Haldol, Diazapam, etc. Perhaps other states are different as it was state regs that governed treatment. But it could well be that you have been given an alarmist perspective by an misinformed person. Believe me it is not pretty out there and it is not fun nor rewarding to have to physically restrain someone, who tried to bite their own arteries out of their wrists or covered themselves in feces, while they are given an injection. However every one of those patients after roughly a day or two of medication to regain control of their delusions willingly took their own meds and often would speak to me of the nightmare that they felt while off of them. Speaking and reasoning with the patients was always my foremost goal and during my time there I and my ideals had reduced the number of physical restraints used to approximately on every two weeks (when I started it was more like 2 a night. But even so that one in two weeks was both heart wrenching and absolutely unavoidable. One cannot reason with a paranoid schizophrenic who has been self medicating with crack cocaine for the past 4 months and is insistent on destroying property harming other as well as themselves. Again, Where you are from may be run differently if so yes you should absolutely go at those facilities with all you have to shut them down and get better governmental regulations enacted to protect the patients. I have heard people from around here say similar things as you have tho and often have to correct their misgivings. It may not be pretty it may be downright distasteful to many outsiders but around here it is not some murder factory of mad doctors and nurse Ratcheds.

knowledgeizpower
- 08/02/2011 at 03:15

i have worked with mentally and physically disabled individuals....i have never seen abuse such as this....this is sickening the caregivers were provoking the clients into behaviors...i have seen some clients out of control attacking staff but that is what you are properly trained to deal with, where you use restraint, not like these people were doing this was beyond abuse seriously these workers should be in jail for this! there are 5 forms of abuse verbal, physical, sexual, neglect and mental you would lose your job even with verbally abusing a client...these supposed caregivers where commiting all forms of abuse at once for petes sake!!! ...and the senior worker who reported it and even the higher ups didn't do anything about this omg what kind of crap!! whatever country this is in their laws and rights for these individuals really need to be rewritten where they are protected....these individuals would qualify to have their own apartments and live on their own where i am, not in a facility...in training you had to watch videos of abuse examples and skits of different kind of abuses this video should be shown in training employees...i just want to add as a true caregiver these people really give us a bad name im ashamed i dont see how the undercover caregiver stayed 5 weeks i would have left the first day that was not a safe place for individuals or to be employed lawsuits all over the place.

I really respect caregivers who emphasize CARE. It takes a lot and a certain personality to become a great one. The first step is always to determine what type of people are best for this job. This housing project didn't even give a crap, obviously.

Sasa Petkovic
- 08/02/2011 at 02:34

How is situation in other "hospitals".. what does " suspended" mean? locked punished!?what happened to ..mildly put bullies and ppl from the company ..or it is all gone after handing a dew millions as usually a?

I noticed that the workers here are very young people. And not a one of them had a drop of empathy in their personalities. I wonder what kind of background psychological tests these caregivers were given before being hired. The reporter was basically hired on the spot for the job. Here in the United States, jobs such as these are very low paying (at the places that I know about) and are not desirable and they hire almost anyone who applies for them. Background checks should be a must. Those nurses should have their licenses pulled.......

the whole system is not designed for the patient, instead it is designed for others to make a living or money off of these peoples misery.

So sad they are deprived of a normal life and then to torture abuse and lock them up is sickening beyond words.

The system is supposed to be trying to give them a safe and more productive life filled with activities that supposedly only a staff of people can [provide. Again instead they are only put in a cage while many people poke sticks at them like animals for their amusement.

Even animals should be treated better how canm another person do this to another person? The abusers need to be imprisoned and treated the same.
Call it corrective retraining. Simone was right they are Bastards

i wish I could take all those patients home and give them Love. I bet each one of those patients could learn to take care of each other better then the care they received. I bet they would love to help each other. I heard some in the film try to stop the abuse to others, yet they were helpless and seemed conditioned to the abuse as though it was almost normal and had to surrender and yet they knew it was wrong.

18 yr old simone kneew it was wrong and she knew the police should know.

It sucks that any mental patient has no legal rights. They cannot use the system unless somneone uses it for them and here as many places they get no help only people who turn their backs.

I want to see training for new careers and caregivers and they should also get training on how to be stronger against evil and not be followers and join or allow abuse.

I agree with StillRV. I, too, have worked in facilities that housed disabled adults and the things I saw were terrible. I worked in a "state school" and a "rehab center" in WY. I would not put my own loved one in either of these places. I actually had to report sexual abuse of a severely disable man by a female co-worker. After the co-worker was fired, I was shunned by the other people I worked with. Amazing. There was continual abuses done to these precious people on a daily basis. I admire the disabled for their courage to survive in these places. It's sad that the public would just rather not know the truth.

Far too prevalent. I have worked in similar places, none quite so out of control as far as the staff goes but still dangerous and violent places. The patients in this film all seemed quite docile and well adjusted, to me, by comparison to my own experiences. What the man said at the end about no need to house them in this way can be misleading though. A locked ward, with good staff, is sadly essential for many patients. There was an independent housing facility close by that was the type he talked of. A sort of assisted living apartment complex. For many it was excellent for some it was reckless. I can recall one patient in particular who had set fire to her apartment almost on a monthly basis and would often lapse into self mutilation and swallowing foreign objects. It is sad that there are some who do require 24/7 control and observation. Again just so sad as none of these patients seemed even close to a danger unless they were being provoked.

I work for the nhs in mental health,it has faults without a doubt,but it seems to me that without strict policies/guidelines and yes fair pay for good and honest people skills they simply employ this kind of "diabolical,stomach churning, scum-like individuals."That must surely go for the people/money grabbing managers that undertake the intake of staff and presumably interview,take only high caliber references and qualifications.This all seems to becoming quite a pattern in so called care,i can remember back in the late 70s&80s when the majority of homes were council run ,and i believe for the most part genuine care was given with pride and warmth as it should be.In light of our government and people in general over recent years i no longer feel proud to be British,but this severely questions my faith in human nature and what is at the core of many many people,do they feel nothing at all for others?how scary is that?

Sasa Petkovic
- 08/02/2011 at 02:26

such who are rare and dangerous should be kept far from reach of fire and dangerous objects :(.

Witold Piorun
- 08/01/2011 at 20:34

Just like in Soviet Russia, the caretakers are the ones who ought to be the patients in an insane asylum.

These care takers are regular people. There's nothing especially wrong with them...I'm sure they're fine, law abiding citizens. It's very easy to say...oh, look at these sick people. These isolated people are terrible. But there's a reason this documentary is under "SOCIETY."

All people have the capacity for cruelty. Most will not be cruel, but put in certain conditions...why not? These people feel frustrated and angry. They are tired of working with people hard to work with. And I'm sure, they have a power complex as well.

My point is this is human nature. It's not isolated, it's not even strange...I feel (as depressing as it sounds) all people can be this cruel and terrible to weaker people. Not all will, but as this documentary shows...it's not hard for it to happen. Basically, truly compassionate and good people are required for these jobs; it's a tough one, and they have to be patient. It requires a level of patience a majority of people don't have.

muvley
- 08/02/2011 at 03:16

Hopefully you are on something and will feel differently come the morning?!?"Human bloody nature,"to treat those in need as nothing,a thing, a figure of fun.If that's your experience of the majority on your planet then go back there,its not the case on PLANET EARTH!

I was referring to your comment of "human nature"
This care home in the u.k is not the norm,hence the publicity.I am fully aware that this literal and blatant abuse goes on but i sincerely believe it is rare fortunately.People in general don't go into nursing for the money as its not fantastically paid,most have a love of people and process empathy with professionalism.you speak of people in power who abuse their position of authority.We are talking here of severely corrupt and brutal dictatorships surely.The uk has policies and laws and the peoples voice in outcry is heard.Why don't we see this every week then?Think you could do with at least one lens of my rose colored glasses ?

adilrye
- 08/02/2011 at 03:21

Really? Are you sure? First thing, I never said it's human nature to treat those in need as nothing or a figure of fun. On the contrary, I hold people to (some people call me too optimistically) high regards.

But I think you're looking at the world through rose coloured glasses. What about the immense cruelty of people when they get power, become greedy or are facing struggles for survival? Are you seriously saying people can't go from "civilized" to bloodthirsty at the drop of a hat? Come on. We've seen this sort of thing so many times I could write an essay on it.

Again, I don't believe people are inherently evil or want to see others in pain. I have a good view of people, but I know we can be led astray very easily.

Jonathon Wisnoski
- 08/02/2011 at 03:37

No I agree, do you really think that it was just random chance that some of the small minority of the worst people in the world just ended up in the same facility that allowed this abuse to happen. No, it is animal nature to pray on the sick and infer, and given the proper circumstances a lot of people will.

And anyways this has all been researched long ago, I believe the question back then was how could an entire nation suddenly want to commit genocide and do a lot of other horrible stuff (Nazi's). the basic conclusion was the average person, if you give them a consequence free zone and ask them to do any number of horrible things they will do it with little to no coercion.

dave.eggermont
- 08/02/2011 at 19:07

Look, say all you like, these people can't justify what they have done. That's all I'm saying. I'm always reminded when I see behavior like this of the germans after the war who said "wir haben es nicht gewusst" ("we didn't know").

It has an explanation, meaning in most cases like this, something that is not unavoidable. So no, I don't agree with you. These were "grown-ups" with responsibilities over other people lives, getting paid in the process, acting like nothing else but bullies for their own entertainment. Consider me officially a sad panda.

Jonathon Wisnoski
- 08/02/2011 at 20:48

I don't think anyone thinks that they can justify what they have done, they have done horrible things and if anyone deserves punishment then these people do.

adilrye
- 08/03/2011 at 03:01

Dave.Eggermont, I'm not trying to JUSTIFY them. I'm just saying, as Jon said, what is the likelihood of this home taking in the absolute worst people. They couldn't have. The conditions are simply there for abuse, because people don't have patience and get frustrated. Like the Germans, they are likely ordinary people who are capable of great cruelty.

The point isn't, "oh, well it's human nature, so whatever." NO. My point is that we must recognize all people, not just a select few are capable of this, and we as people must better ourselves not to become like this.

dave.eggermont
- 08/03/2011 at 14:41

Well, if you wanted me to agree that this is not something new, sure. If you wanted me to agree that this can not be avoided because it's in "human nature", never. This is exactly my point, by now this should be apparent and the necessary precautions should have been taken, which they didn't. Just another case of mismanagement by misguided people. Some people shouldn't be allowed the responsibility over lives. Really, there should be a law that says you have to take certain psychological tests before you can legitimately have any responsibility like that.

But this costs money, and it's for the good of the less fortunate, so no. The system we live in doesn't allow us to be fair and strict.
There is no room for justice where money has the last word.
People get rewarded for immoral behavior by artificial incentives, and then they confuse it with "human nature". Of course a dog is going to keep biting people if you keep giving it positive rewards, that doesn't mean it's in "dogs nature".

Hana Marie
- 08/01/2011 at 16:36

This is so sad, if you don't shed a tear while watching this documentary there is something very wrong with you. However, and I know everyone is going to hate me for this, I'd like to make a point of saying not every bald headed man with tattoos is like this. I felt like they made a point out of saying he wanted to open his own tattoo shop to make him seem that much more daunting. Just my two cents, I'm glad something has been done about this facility and these terrible people.

I didn't shed a tear but I was disgusted by the things iv seen in this documentary. I don't think I have to be a f***ing pansy like you to feel bad for people that are mistreated by those who are suppose to be looking after them. If you disagree, f*** you.

Jonathon Wisnoski
- 08/01/2011 at 16:16

"Any society, any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members -- the last, the least, the littlest."
~Cardinal Roger Mahony, In a 1998 letter, Creating a Culture of Life